Is there really the best multivitamin for men? It depends. If you’re like most people who shop for health supplements, the first multivitamins you see are those for women. They’re packed with everything that appeals to a woman’s sense of self-worth: the soothing effects of estrogen, all the antioxidants, and flavonoids that will keep us healthy, the special formulas that are supposedly more effective against prostate and breast cancer. Multivitamins for women are advertised as “the one” and “the best.”
But are all that extra iron and calcium truly necessary? A multivitamin supplement helps people fill mineral deficiencies in their daily diets by supplying them with extra vitamins and minerals. Would you get along fine on only whole food? Sure, but there are enormous reams of research suggesting that there can be significant improvements in quality of life and even the possibility of longer life when we consume enough nutrients.
The problem is that a lot of the multivitamins on store shelves don’t meet the standards of what a full multivitamin should contain. Often, manufacturers add just a little bit of other substances to provide a longer shelf life. If you’ve ever read the ingredients list on a multivitamin supplement, then you know that it’s not all about vitamins. There are often plenty of empty calories and other additives that manufacturers use in order to give you a “loaded” tablet or capsule. These substances are typically not necessary for a balanced diet.
What’s more, some manufacturers are using clever marketing techniques to get you to buy more than one gram of formula from their multivitamins. For example, some formulas have nutrigenetic listed as one of the key ingredients. Nutrigenetics refers to a process where the vitamin is broken down by stomach acid before being absorbed. While this sounds like a good thing, it can actually increase your chances of getting a gastrointestinal upset, which can seriously affect your health.
Another problem with some multivitamins is that they only provide a small number of essential minerals. Studies have shown that some people gain more calcium from these kinds of products than they do from taking a regular multivitamin. Calcium is important for strong bones and overall good health, so this should be taken into consideration when buying a personalized multivitamin. Other minerals that are beneficial are zinc and magnesium, both of which help with strong bones and a healthy nervous system. This is especially important for women. If you are trying to conceive or are already pregnant, it’s important that you take a daily supplement that provides you with all of these essential minerals.
The thing about multivitamins that most people don’t consider is that not all of them contain the same amount of different nutrients. Some are more complete than others. Multivitamins containing all of the above-mentioned nutrients will most likely already include all of the minerals listed above, but it would be wise to double-check. You wouldn’t want to buy a multivitamin that leaves out one of the most important nutrients for you. Just keep in mind that the manufacturer may list all of these nutrients on the label, but they probably won’t be all of the nutrients in each pill.
The best men’s multivitamins will also contain one or two vitamins that are specifically helpful to the development of the penis and testicles. These particular vitamins should be a part of any multivitamin supplement. Glutathione and superoxide dismutase are both wonderful tools in maintaining proper testosterone levels. They’re also great for maintaining proper hormonal balance.
Last but not least, look for a quality multivitamin supplements company with a reputation for making high-quality, effective formulas. There are a few companies that have been around for a while, and when I started researching vitamin supplements a few years ago, I really didn’t know what to expect. I was hoping for the best, and really not expecting much. Luckily, the multivitamins that I’ve been using for over a year now are all the products I’ve ever tried. When I see a formula that has so many healthy nutrients in just the right amounts in the correct proportions, it makes me feel like an incredibly lucky man!
